


Right Beside You

by YamiAki96



Category: Supernatural
Genre: 9x06, Angst, Attempted mugging, Episode: s09e06 Heaven Can't Wait, Fluff, Hospitals, Hurt Castiel, M/M, Stabbing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-25
Updated: 2014-09-25
Packaged: 2018-02-18 16:43:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2355392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YamiAki96/pseuds/YamiAki96
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean gets a strange message from Cas, then a call from a distressed Nora.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Right Beside You

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if this has been done yet, but it just seems like something that could have happened.

Castiel wiped down the counter for the fifth time that night. He liked working the late shift, it gave him alone time, and he didn’t have to come up with an excuse to stay when someone was there. The others thought he was an idiot, asking for their nights when he could be out having fun, but it wasn’t like Cas had anywhere to go.

 

There was a noise in the parking lot and Cas looked through the glass doors to see a man and a woman struggling over a purse. He ran around the counter and out the door the door without thinking twice. He shoved the man and the purse handle snapped. The robber stumbled and Cas looked at the woman.

 

“Run. Run, go!” She took off towards the cars on the other side of the building. Cas turned to face the man, but was met with a sharp pain in his side.

 

“Oh, shit,” The robber said, moving away. Castiel saw the knife in his hand then. He recognized it as a hunting knife, Dean had a lot of those. The blade was red. “Oh, fuck!”

 

The man ran away as Castiel sank to the ground, hands pressing against the wound in his side. He had managed to stumble back against the wall of the Gas’n’Sip, and used it to support his weight.

 

Careful of his side, Castiel eased his phone out of pocket and dialed the number we was told to use only during emergencies.

 

_You’ve reached Dean’s other_ other _phone. You know what to do._

 

“Hello, Dean,” Castiel managed to grit out. “I just‒I just really needed to hear your voice. I’m sorry I called at such an inoppertune time. I‒” Cas let out a labored breath. “Goodbye, Dean.”

 

The phone fell from his hand and into the small puddle of blood by his side. Castiel leaned his head against the wall and tried to keep breathing.

 

* * *

 

Dean had tried to call Cas back six times. What was he thinking calling and leaving some weird ass message?

 

He was reading over a demon text he’d found in the library when his phone rang. Figuring it was Sam, he flipped it open without paying attention.

 

“Yeah?” He grunted, sipping at him whiskey that had gone warm.

 

“Dean?” A woman’s voice asked. It sound like she had been crying.

 

“Uh, yeah? Who’s this?”

 

“This is Nora. Steve’s boss?” _Steve?_ Oh, right. Cas’s name.

 

“Yeah, hey. What’s up? Steve okay?” Nora let out a shuttering breath.

 

“No. Steve was stabbed last night.” Dean froze. “There was an attempted mugging. He helped the girl and…”

 

“Is he‒Is Steve…” He couldn’t say the words. Saying it made it too real.

 

“He’s in the hospital. He lost a lot of blood. They don’t know…” Hospital, okay. Hospital Dean could do.

 

“I’ll be there tonight,” He said. He said goodbye and went to pack a bag. He passed Sam on his way out, almost knocking him down in his rush.

 

“Where are you going?” The younger Winchester asked, stopping to retrieve the groceries Dean made him drop.

 

“Something happened with Cas. I’ll call you when I know what’s up.” He left Sam standing there in confusion and was speeding down the road before he was even inside.

When he got to the hospital, he realized he had no idea who to ask for. What kind of last name would Cas come up with for a job application?

 

“Uh, excuse me?” The nurse behind the desk looked up, and put on a flirty smile.

 

“What can I do for you?” Dean faked a smile back, using it to his advantage.

 

“A friend of mine was admitted the other day. I was hopin’ you could tell me where to find him?”

 

“What’s the name?”

 

“That’s the thing. We never exchanged last names….” The girl’s smile fell.

 

“Oh.”

 

“He was stabbed,” Dean said, his chesting aching when the words came out. “His name is Steve, he works at the gas station. I‒”

 

“Oh, you’re friends with Steve? He’s in room 3B on the second floor.”

  
“Thanks.” Dean turned and started walking.

 

“Hey!” He looked back “His last name is Winchester.”

 

* * *

 

Cas looked pale. Awfully pale. He was unconscious, the beeping machine the only indication that he was alive.

 

A nurse came in to check on him and almost jusmped out of her skin she saw Dean.

 

“You almost gave me a heart attack,” She scolded, turning to mess with the machine.

 

“Good thing we’re in a hosptial,” Dean joked, half-heartedly. “Why so surprised?”

 

“No vistors,” The nurse said. “A woman came by once, but I haven’t seen her again.”

 

“Do you…know anything? If he’ll be okay?”

 

“I don’t know, honey. We’ll have to wait and see.” She patted Dean’s hand and left the room. Dean finally got closer and sat in one of the chairs. He looked around before grabing Cas’s hand. It was cold.

 

“Come on, Cas. You gotta wake up, man,” He said, trying to warm the hand with both of his. “You can’t make me lose you again, buddy.”

 

Dean stayed all day, telling Cas about hunts he’d been on, being careful to keep his voice down and stopped talking when a nurse came in.

 

“Sir,” He looked up at the nurse in the door way. “I’m sorry, visiting hours are over.”

 

“Can I stay with him? I don’t want him to‒”

 

“Wake up alone? I’m sorry, rules are rules. If you leave your number, we can call you if anything changes.”

 

“Yeah. Yeah, where do I do that?” The nurse pointed him in the right direction and went to check on Cas. Dean filled out the papers and asked the man behand the desk where the best motel was for the night

 

After he had settled in, Dean sat on the single bed and called Sam.

 

“What the hell, Dean?” Was what he got by way of greeting.

 

“Cas is in the hospital,” He said. “He was stabbed.”

 

“Where are you? I’ll‒”

 

“You stay at the bunker. He’s unconscious right now. There’s nothing for us to do but wait.” Sam was quiet for a long time, and Dean could just picture the bitch face he was sporting when he finally sighed.

 

“Yeah, okay, Dean. Just…Call me if anything happens. If he gets worse I‒”

 

“I know.” Dean rubbed a hand over his face. “I need to get some sleep. I’ll call you later.” He hung an threw his phone on the bedside table.

 

He laid back against the pillows, groaning at the muscles in his back stretched out. Feeling every bit of his thirty six years, he closed his eyes and drifted off.

 

Dean was in Cas’s room as soon as visiting hours started. Cas was still out so Dean spent the day watching soap operas on the crappy TV and trying to convince Cas to wake up. But the day ended with another nurse shooing him out and dinner from a fastfood joint that tasted like ass.

 

When Cas had been out for four days, Dean was losing hope. A nurse came in to tell him it was time go and he sighed.

 

“Can I just have another minute?” The nurse sighed.

 

“You have until I finish my rounds, then you have to go.” Dean thanked her and she walked off.

 

“Okay, Cas,” Dean said, hoping this would work. “I’m sorry I sent you away. You didn’t deserve that. But…Zeke said he would leave if you stayed and Sammy would’ve died and I didn’t have a choice. But if you wake up, Cas, I’m gonna bring you home. When you wake up. Screw Zeke, I’ll figure something out. But you gotta wake up.” There was no change. “Damn it, Cas, come on!”

 

“Sir?” The nurse was back. With a sigh, Dean stood. He looked at Cas and leaned down close to his ear.

 

“I love you, Cas.” He whispered, then kissed his forehead. He walked out without looking at the nurse.

 

* * *

 

_No, Dean, wait!_ Cas cried, watching Dean walk out.

 

His confession echoed in his ears and his kiss laid heavy on his forehead.

 

He wanted to reach out and grab his hand. He want to tell Dean he loved him, too. But his body wasn’t working. He kept trying though. Trying to tear the the wires from his arms and chase after Dean.

 

He felt his fingers move, the tiniest bit. He tried again and they moved a little more. The simple action left him exhausted and he wanted to sleep again.

 

When Dean was back the next day, Cas reached for him again. Dean was holding the wrong though and didn’t notice his fingers move.

 

He kept trying, fighting for control of his movements until he finally, finally moved the right hand. Just as Dean let go to turn off the TV.

 

Cas felt like screaming when Dean kissed his forehead again and told him he couldn’t stay much longer. There was a Wendigo in Seattle and Sam was still not himself.

 

“I’m so sorry, Cas. I’ll be back, I swear.” Dean left again.

 

Cas fought hard then. Pushing and shoving his way to the surface until he finally opened his eyes and said, “Dean!”

 

The nurse in the room jumped at his voice and called a doctor.

 

“Where’s Dean?” He kept asking, voice hoarse from disuse. “Please, call Dean.”

 

“We have to make sure you’re-”

 

“Please! I have to‒ He’s going to leave town! Please!” The doctor nodded, and Cas let him do what he needed to do after the nurse left.

 

“Well, Mr. Winchester, you appear to be much better.”

 

“Can I go home?” He doctor shook his head.

 

“You’ve got a long way to go. But now that you’re awake we can get you on the road‒” There were raised voices and the sound of boots in the hall. Dean skidded into the doorway, red faced and gasping.

 

“Cas?”

 

“Dean.” He came into the room, ignoring the doctor completly and wrapping his arms around Cas.

 

“I’m so glad to see those eyes,” Dean said into hisear. “I’m gonna take you home, Cas. Just like I said.” The doctor cleared his throat.

 

“Steve has to stay for a while longer. Until we know how he’s going to heal.”

 

“Yeah, of course.” Dean said. The doctor spouted out a few medical terms that Dean pretended to understand, then left them alone.

 

They sat in silence, Dean holding both of Castiel’s hands in his. Dean kissed his knuckles and Castiel was surprised by the gentleness of his actions.

 

“I know you can’t stay,” Cas finally said.

 

“I’ll be here as soon I take care of the thing. And you can call me, anytime. If I miss it, I’ll call you back.”

 

“Will you bring Sam? Next time?” Dean sighed.

 

“The angel in Sam said I couldn’t…But yeah. Yes. I’ll bring him if that’s what you want.”

 

“No. It’s okay.” Dean saw the sadness, though. Sam was Cas’s brother, too, he realized.

 

“Cas, do you want to see Sam?” Cas nodded. He had missed them both deeply.

 

“Then I’ll get him here. I’ll figure something out.”

 

“Thank you.” Dean pressing lips to Cas’s forehead, then tilted his head and kissed him on the lips. Cas leaned into it and sighed. A nurse came in when he heart rate started to speed up, but only smiled and walked to the desk when she saw them.

  
“I hate to say I told you so,” She told the younger women there, make-up and hair all perfect for the blond guy that had been in everyday. “But I told you so.”


End file.
